Clarkdale set for South State title

By By Jeff Byrd / staff writer
April 26, 2002
The Clarkdale Lady Bulldogs are just two wins away from reaching a softball championship double-double.
Last fall, Coach Rick Roberson's Lady Bulldogs played in the Class 2A girls slow-pitch championships at the V.A. Legion Fields in Jackson. If they can beat St. Aloysius in a best of three South State Championship series, they will earn a chance to play for the Class 1A-2A Girls Fast-pitch Championship next week.
The Clarkdale-St. Al series begins on Saturday at 2 p.m. with games one and two in Vicksburg. If the two teams split, a third game will be played on Monday in Clarkdale.
The Lady Bulldogs will take an impressive 26-9-1 record into the third round series. They whipped Sumrall in two games last week including a 10-4 win in the series clincher in Clarkdale. St. Al is 18-5 on the season.
Sophomore pitcher Emily Howard will take the circle in game one. She has won 18 starts this season and has had a handful of no-hitters. JorD'an Orr will likely pitch game two.
Orr is the team's top hitter batting .400. She has had a couple of inside the park home runs including one grand slam.
First baseman Ashley Satcher is batting .350 while Brandi Wright is a threat on the basepaths having stolen 25 bases.
All four players were key members of the Lady Bulldogs state runner-up finish in slow-pitch last October. Clarkdale was beaten in three games by Hatley.
If Clarkdale gets by St. Al, it will face the winner of the Mooreville (29-8) and Hamilton (16-5) series in the state title series in Jackson.